Skills, experience more valued than degrees: Survey

Fifty-one per cent of Canadian CIOs said they prioritize skills and experience over college degrees when making hiring decisions, according to a survey by Robert Half Technology.

Another 32 per cent said they place a little weight on the prestige of a job applicant's university when evaluating job applicants; only 10 per cent are heavily influenced by an impressive alma mater, found the survey of more than 270 CIOs.

“When evaluating a candidate for an IT position, what value do you place on the prestige of their college or university?"

I place a little weight on university prestige

32%

I place a lot of weight on university prestige

10%

University prestige doesn't matter to me

6%

I place more weight on skills and experience than college or university education

51%

"When recruiting top talent, IT employers prioritize a candidate's ability to demonstrate the practical application of skills over education," said Deborah Bottineau, senior regional manager of Robert Half Technology. "Although a quality education establishes a foundation, applicants who have real-world IT experience are better able to transition into a role with less ramp-up time."